What are the basic datatypes supported in C?

📝 Introduction: What Are Data Types in C?

In C programming, data types define the type of data a variable can store. They specify how much memory will be allocated and what operations are permissible. Choosing the right data type is crucial for efficient memory usage and program reliability.

🔍 List of Basic Data Types in C

C provides several primary data types. Let’s explore them:

Data Type	Keyword	Size (Typical)	Range (Approximate)
Integer	int	2 or 4 bytes	-32,768 to 32,767 / -2B to 2B
Floating Point	float	4 bytes	3.4E-38 to 3.4E+38
Double Float	double	8 bytes	1.7E-308 to 1.7E+308
Character	char	1 byte	-128 to 127 or 0 to 255
Void	void	No value	Represents empty or null

🧮 1️⃣ int (Integer Type)

Stores whole numbers (positive/negative).

Size: Usually 4 bytes (depends on system architecture).

Example

#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
    int age = 25;
    printf("Age: %d", age);
    return 0;
}

🌊 2️⃣ float (Floating-Point Type)

Stores decimal numbers with single precision.

Example

#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
    float price = 99.99;
    printf("Price: %.2f", price);
    return 0;
}

🔬 3️⃣ double (Double-Precision Float)

Higher precision for floating-point numbers.

Example

#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
    double pi = 3.1415926535;
    printf("PI: %.10lf", pi);
    return 0;
}

🎯 4️⃣ char (Character Type)

Stores single characters.

Use single quotes e.g. 'A'.

Example

#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
    char grade = 'A';
    printf("Grade: %c", grade);
    return 0;
}

🚫 5️⃣ void (Void Type)

Indicates no value or no return type.

Used in functions that don’t return any value.

Example

#include <stdio.h>
void greet() {
    printf("Hello, World!");
}
int main() {
    greet();
    return 0;
}

🗂️ Data Type Modifiers

Modifiers adjust the size or sign of basic data types:

• short
• long
• signed
• unsigned

Example

unsigned int population = 1000000;
long int distance = 123456789L;

📌 Key Takeaways

• C has five basic data types: int, float, double, char, and void.
• Always choose data types wisely to ensure optimal memory usage.
• Type modifiers (like unsigned, long) allow more flexibility.